


Ivy in the Autumn

by Rosie_Petal



Category: Harley Quinn (Comics)
Genre: F/F, Li'l Gotham, from my Depressed™ era, this is really old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 06:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10714116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosie_Petal/pseuds/Rosie_Petal
Summary: Autumn has struck, killing off the plants that Pamela has grown attached to. Now she’s experiencing SAD and Harley takes it upon herself to pull her out of it.





	Ivy in the Autumn

**Author's Note:**

> I'm deleting an old tumblr account, so I thought I'd finally transfer all of the pieces I had from there onto here.  
> I don't even remember writing this. It was a shitty period of my life.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy
> 
> If you'd like to buy me a coffee go here: Ko-fi.com/A3544CMZ

As my leaves swirl off in the air, I wish she would leave me…

Every year it seems to hit harder yet; the unbearable loss of my dearest friends. In autumn, the trees I nursed from saplings begin to wither, and a mother is torn from her children.

The silent torment of the season is countered only by the blonde singing obnoxiously close to my ear. She hangs upside down from a branch as though it’s not on the brink of snapping. Her silly songs are not so much of a serenade as they are a distraction - I see her attempt.

Of course she doesn’t understand my pain; she has always played the child (and I would never wish it upon her), but would it kill her to let me mourn? To see them off? To lay with them till the bitter end?

Yes. It would.

For the girl in question is Harley Quinn, and being sad in her presence is a deadly offense. She’ll make it her mission to brighten up your day (your life).

I’d groan in annoyance if I thought it would be worth it.

“Not feelin’ that beat Red? Alright, we’ll try a different one. How ‘bout some Frozen?” She smiles, poking my unmoved cheek. “'The snow blows white in the mountain tonight!’ C'mon Red, I know ya know the words. ‘Not a footprint to be seeeeeeeen!’”

She continues with a wide range, just missing the note every time. She doesn’t pretend to be any good; she never pretends. No, Harley can’t hide herself. From her nasty habit of speaking before she thinks, to her inability to mask her expressions, her heart is permanently fixed upon her sleeve.

I try to envision her walking away, giving me some space, some peace.

The picture doesn’t come.

She swings around like a gymnast, and I hear the tree faintly cough.

She’s going to hurt the both of them.

Drawing in all the energy I don’t have, I call to her, “Come here.”

She halts in shock, then delight and jumps down, thudding in a mastered landing. “I knew Frozen was the one! One more verse, hm?”

My gaze seems to quiet her, and I catch her frown with realization; she wasn’t the solution, she was simply invited in. I am still as I was before she found me, bracing for the worst. Absorbing the pain. But how could one person fix that?

She shakes her head lightly as a soft smile appears. “No rush.” she says as though she means it.

She plops onto the browned grass beside me and turns, smushing her body against mine. I remain stiff. She nuzzles my neck and interlocks our legs, in a clear attempt to get me to loosen up. “I’ll wait right here for you to come back. It’ll be worth it - we always have a blast in winter! I already got out my knitting supplies to get a head start on those frost blankets you asked me to make. Ooo and soon it’ll be time for hot chocolate, and peppermint bark, and - oh god, imagine the goodies!”

She goes on to talk about holidays and everything that goes along with them, from the Christmas bash at Wayne Manner to the secret location of her lucky dreidel. She talks and talks, as though her words would fill the void.

“Wanna go tend to the pumkin’ patch? I know those cuties don’t need much, but maybe I could help ya pick the weeds or somethin’? I’ll make sure to dig out the roots.”

It’s an offer I can’t take, but it earns her a light squeeze.

“Right. We can stay her for a while. Nothing wrong with just…sitting…in the same place…all season long…”

She stays, even though she doesn’t want to. Even though she doesn’t understand. Seems I’m not the only one with problems 'letting go’.

***

It’s dark by the time I start to worry for Harley. She hasn’t left my side. Not to eat. Not to drink. I feel her shivering in the cold that I have grown used to, and the guilt begins to set in.

She needs to go inside.

Unknowing wether to pull her in or push her away, I simply breath.

“Hey Bayyybee,” she mutters sleepily, “I heard they’re workin’ on Frozen 2. Ya know…ya know what we should do? We could like *yawnn* we could steal the footage before it’s released and put in online. No one would have to pay…we’d be givin’ it to the people…and really…stick in’ it to them…them big businesses.”

I’m no closer to getting her to leave- she’s more determined now than she was when she first showed up.

“Harley…just go,” I whisper, “Please.”

“Hmmmmm. No.” She shifts, gently speaking into my ear. “Not unless you come with me Red. I don’t like ta spend the chilly nights alone.”

I lean back in defeat.

“I’ll carry ya? Just say the word and we can be inside cuddling, oh! or maybe share a hot bath? I got this new bath bomb that’ll make the water real pretty - and it smells sooo good. And it’s never too late for snacks either! I’m sure there’s somethin’ we could whip up. We can have a girls night! How 'bout that Red? Sound good to ya? Just… Just say the word.”

But why Harley? Why are you wasting your time waiting on me when you could be inside, indulging in all of those things that the night has to offer?

I take her hand, forcing her to look at me. Her eyes are sad, though she wears a smile - so bad at hiding. I silently plead with her, beg her to reconsider.

But instead of her resolve breaking, her smile does “P-Pammy, I just…I just want you to be okay and I… Listen, I know you’re going through a lot right now… but… but it just kills me that I’m not enough to make you happy.”

Her words are so fiercely overwhelmingly that I scramble for the numbness which had previously consumed me. There’s a new level of pain in my chest, seeing her hurt like this, knowing its because of me.

“Harley that’s- that’s not fair I -”

“ I know. I know they’re your babies. I know they’re a huge part of you but… But whenever I’m down you lift me up, just by… just by being with me. Red, it’s impossible for me to look at you and feel anything other than warmth. I just… I just wanted to return the favor. I wanted to make ya smile.”

“You do -”

“ - just not enough. My point exactly.” Her tone is resentful, though I can hear the underlying sadness seeping through. She seems disappointed in my lack of response as she settles back down. “But you Red, you are enough. So if you don’t mind, Imma stay. ”

It takes a moment to digest, but when I do I smirk “I do mind actually.”

She shot up, face a mixture of confusion and disgust. She would laugh if she could see herself, so I do.

In one swift motion, I stand and scoop her off her feet. “Come on. I’ll carry you.”

***

Harley is not everything I need.

I am surely not everything Harley needs.

But we are enough for each other, and I have chosen to spend the chilly nights reminding her of that.


End file.
